1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to merchandise anti-theft devices. More specifically, it relates to a merchandise display device with an anti-theft locking mechanism preventing unauthorized removal of secured merchandise.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Retailers often prefer to demonstrate their merchandise to consumers by allowing the consumers to touch, inspect, and interact with the products at a display counter. Many merchandise items, especially portable electronic devices, are relatively expensive and, therefore, are under a serious threat of theft. Retailers often face a dilemma of wanting to attract customers and increase sales by interactively displaying their merchandise, while, at the same time, protecting themselves from potential losses associated with theft.
A variety of anti-theft devices exist in the market that address this problem by offering a wide array of solutions for securing merchandise items against unauthorized removal. Many currently available solutions involve steel cables, locks, clamps, grips, casings, and other obtrusive and unattractive mechanisms. Customers may be deterred from interacting with products that have bulky intimidating security devices attached to them. Moreover, excessive security measures may ruin the overall ambience of a retail store driving customers away and reducing sales. Accordingly, there exists an unresolved need for a simple, discrete, and effective anti-theft device for selectively locking a merchandise item to a display counter.